How to Find a Good CPO Car at A Used Car Dealership

For any car shopper looking for a reliable pre-owned car deal from a used car dealership, certified pre-owned vehicles or CPO cars represent a great option for getting additional guarantees on quality for a used vehicle. Certified pre-owned cars come with specific standards set by the manufacturer, but finding them at a local dealer’s lot may take some research.

Look at Higher End Used-car Dealerships for CPO Cars

The plain fact is that in most areas of the U.S., you're not going to get certified pre-owned cars from most of the middle-of-the-road dealerships that sell vehicles already past their prime. You may get some limited dealer’s warranty, and that's about all. For locating certified pre-owned cars, check out the top dealerships in your area.

Look for Dealerships that Specialize

For the best chance at getting a real certified pre-owned car deal, it’s also a good idea to look for shops that that specialize in a certain make of vehicle, rather than just selling whatever comes into a lot. Because manufacturers set the standards for CPO cars, the dealership should have a specific relationship with Ford, Toyota, Chevrolet, Nissa, or some other large auto-maker.

Ask Used-Car Salesmen to Distinguish CPO Sales from In-house Warranties

One of the big issues with seeking out the CPO cars in any American dealership is that the line between manufacturer-certified car deals and dealership certifications is generally a very vague one.

The idea of a pre-owned manufacturer certification is that vehicles must meet age and mileage limitations, as well as thorough physical checks, to determine that they are in prime condition for the mileage they have accumulated. With this kind of testing in place, a competitive warranty provides extra safeguards for an investment in a vehicle.

The certified pre-owned warranty is different than a warranty that a dealer provides. In many cases, the dealership just uses its own employees to inspect a vehicle, then adds a competitive warranty from that specific dealership to cover the driving life of the car or truck. If you're looking for a warranty that can apply to any manufacturer-certified dealership, you're looking for a specific certified pre-owned car or truck. Don't let the dealership trick you into thinking you have a portable warranty when it's really just a product of that local shop.

What You Get

By paying extra for a CPO car, buyers can expect a thoroughly inspected vehicle with a solid history that will stand the tests of time on the road. Getting a certified pre-owned vehicle is a way to get a “like-new” car or truck at a much lower price than you would expect when haggling over a new vehicle’s MSRP (Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price). For a better picture of what you can expect from a CPO car deal, take a blue book value from a specific model year, add the cost of the CPO certification, and compare it to the cost for a new vehicle.

The above shows how buyers can locate a legitimate manufacturer certified pre-owned deal from a local dealership.